Smiles On Their Faces
by CheerupSkitz
Summary: Summary inside first chapter : Zoro/Oc maybe.
1. I know you

**_ Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:_ **

** After a tragic accident, a little girl made a big promise that she intends to keep. Eleven years after the event, she meets a motley crew of people that end taking her a journey she plans to never forget.**

'_'Mama?' asked a little six year old girl with blue hair, who looked up at her mother with worry. 'Mama, what's wrong?'_

_ Her mother shook her head and had a few tears fall down her face. The little girl noticed something on the kitchen table. Standing on her tiptoes she gasped. She was pretty smart for her age and immediately knew what was wrong. Her brother's sword lay on the table, sheathed and partly wrapped in a fabric._

_ 'Mama?' The little girl asked, her eyes beginning to leak. 'Mama, Hajime, he's...he's dead isn't he?'_

_ The girl's mother wrapped her arms around the little girl, 'He's with your papa now, Etsu.'_

_ The little girl wiggled out of her mama's arms, 'I'm not going to say he's not dead. I'm know better.' She looked up at the sword on the table, 'Mama, give me his sword.'_

_ Etsu's mother shook her head, 'Why?'_

_ 'Because if Hajime wanted to be the greatest swordsman, I'm going to be the greatest swordswoman for him. I'm not going to forget my big brother. I'm going to remember him always, and swordfighting is how I'll do that. I promise.'_

_ Her mother gasped. Tears fell down her face as she grabbed Etsu by the shoulders, 'If that is what you wish, my daughter. I'll put his sword in the case until you are ready for it.'_

_ The girl nodded and walked out the door. Her mother shouted, 'Where are you going?' _

_ 'To the dojo where Hajime trained when he was little,' Etsu shouted back._

_ Her mother grew a smile on her face even though she was still crying for the loss of her son, 'Make me proud my daughter. Make your father and brother proud. I know you will.' _'

"HIYAA!" yelled a feminine voice. "Take that ya damned marine!"

"She took out the captain! Fire!" yelled a male's voice.

"Oh no ya don't! You Marines should know better than to attack innocent folk so I'mma teach ya a lesson." the feminine voice shouted, tightening the black, folded bandana around her short, light blue hair. Holding her swords crisscrossed in front of her she yelled, "_Fuu Sen Sakebi!_"(A Thousand Yells) Lowering her swords she sped forward sweeping her swords across Marines as they tried to locate her yet her speed was far too fast for them. The swords seemed to vibrate as a shrill noise reverberated, sounding like screaming, that mixed with the Marines' strangled yells.

Panting, she stood, and sheathed her swords as fallen Marines lay either dead or unconscious at her feet and narrowed her eyes, "Never, ever attack an innocent or you will pay."

Walking into the village, whoops and hollers of the villagers greeted her. She just gave them a small smile and walked into the Doctor's office.

An elderly man with graying hair and a gray goatee was applying stitches to a wounded child whose stomach had been sliced open by the Marines because he couldn't move fast enough.

"Is Takechi gunna be alright, Jiou-san?" the blue-haired female asked him.

He nodded, "He'll be fine, Etsu. Just gotta stitch 'im up and let 'im rest."

Etsu nodded, "I'm going to go home if ya need me." She looked down at the disabled boy on the bed, "I gave that Marine captain a good whacking for ya, Takechi."

The doctor chuckled at her as she left the building and walked up the street half a mile to a lone house sitting at the edge of the forest.

Entering the home, she walked to the kitchen, "Mama?"

"Is Takechi alright?" asked Etsu's mother, turning to face her daughter, her her graying brown hair swishing behind her.

Etsu nodded, "Jiou-san said all he needed was stitches and rest.

Suddenly they heard a loud voice yelling down the street.

Etsu and her mother walked to the front door and stood on the porch.

A teenage boy around Etsu's age named Fujisaki shouted, "Pirates are here! Pirates are here!"

Out of breath, he stood in front of the two women, breathing heavily.

Placing a hand on her hip, Etsu looked at him, eyes narrowed, "Have they attacked, Fuji-san?"

The boy shook his head, "No but I thought I tell the villagers they were here."

Etsu scoffed lightly, "Well if they do attack, you know where I'll be. I'm going to go train."

The teen boy looked at Etsu longingly as she walked away and into the forest. Sighing the boy ran back into the village.

"Hah! Stupid tree! Ye are no match for thy swords!" Etsu shouted at a tree she cut down with her swords. Sheathing her swords, she laughed as she fell back onto the soft undergrowth of the forest.

Sighing she brought up a sword with the hilt wrapped in two different colors to her face, "Oh Hajime. I'm getting better everyday. Soon I'm going to leave out on my own to face all different swordsmen and swordswomen to become the greatest. When I become the greatest I'll let the world know both our names to be remembered. Until then, I'll keep training." She looked up into the sky, "I don't know what's going to happen to Mama. I don't wanna leave her, but she tells me to go."

The pirates that landed on Misaki Island headed straight for the nearest place that sold food. There were only four of them though; the captain who wore a straw hat named Luffy, Nami, the orange-haired navigator, a long-nosed male addressed by Usopp, and the famous pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro.

A waitress wearing a light pink and gray sundress and an apron walked over to them slightly terrified, "Uhm hiya. Welcome to Misaki Island's restaurant and bar Gilaio. What may I get you?"

Luffy and Usopp grinned, "Lots of meat please!"

"Today's special soup and salad," Nami ordered looking off the menu.

Zoro looked at the menu boredly, "The Special."

The waitress nodded, "It'll be right out."

She wasn't lying either. Within ten minutes their food was placed on their table.

The pirates immediately dug into their food.

The door opened, though the pirates didn't care as they ate their food, and Etsu walked in, her swords hanging off her belt.

"Etsu! Thank God! How's Takechi?" Asked a middle-aged woman with bright blond hair that owned the restaurant/bar.

"He's fine, Gigi. Jiou-san said all he needed was rest," Etsu told the woman as she sat on one of the bar stools. The woman passed her a glass of water.

"That's good! I'm so glad you took down those stupid ass Marines. They deserved it," Gigi told her as she served a customer a drink.

They quickly turned their heads to the back of the restaurant as they heard a chair fall.

Luffy looked wide-eyed at Etsu, "That was you who took those Marines down?"

Etsu rose an eyebrow with a small smile, "Yea. What's it to ya?"

Luffy ran up to her and got in her face, "That's so cool!"

Etsu laughed nervously and inched back a little, "Uhm, thanks?"

Luffy put a finger to head in thought for a moment, "I want you to join our crew!"

Etsu's eyes widened and she shook her head, "I can't do that."

"Why?" Luffy asked pouting.

"I don't even know you for starters," Etsu said slowly getting up.

"Well I'm Luff-" Luffy was cut off by two men on the other side of the bar who had begun to fight.

"You damned bastard! That was my money!"

Etsu looked back at Luffy, "See ya around." She walked over to the men and watched them for a minute or so waiting to see if the fight got out of hand or not.

Luffy sulked back to the table but quickly perked up as he saw his meat.

Nami rolled her eyes, "You asked her to join our crew didn't you, Luffy?"

Luffy nodded, "She said she couldn't though, but that's not gunna stop me."

Zoro also rolled his eyes but they trailed to the swords on Etsu's hip. There was something familiar about one of them.

Etsu on the other hand unsheathed her swords and now had both fighting men stopped with blades pressed against their necks, "Now boys. You behave in Gigi's bar, ya hear? You know  
what I did last time." The men nodded quickly. "Now if ya gunna fight some more, go outside."

The men nodded again and sat back down. Etsu shook her head and sheathed her swords and began to walk to the exit of the restaurant.

She stopped when a voice spoke to her, "Swords shouldn't be used for something so trivial."

She turned around and looked at the man who spoke to her, "Just a scare is all." She noticed he was was the green haired male sitting with the other pirates. She also noticed he had three swords leaning against his chair. "You a swordsman?"

The green haired male smirked at Etsu, "Yea. What's it to ya?"

Etsu eyes narrowed then she came to realization, "I know you. Well I've heard of ya atleast, from visitors." She stood up tall, though that didn't really matter seeing as she only stood 5 feet and 3 inches high. "I wanna fight ya, Roronoa Zoro."

The other members at his table all spit out whatever was in their mouths. The orange-haired girl looked at Etsu like she was stupid, "You know who he is yet you want to fight him?"

Etsu nodded, "I'm never goin' to get better if I don't challenge myself."

Zoro smirked at Etsu. Luffy suddenly entered the conversation, "If you win, I won't ask you to join our crew for the rest of our stay here. If Zoro here wins, you're joining our crew uh...What's your name?"

"Arai Etsu."

Zoro gave a small choke on his water causing Usopp and Nami to look at him weirdly.

Etsu turned to Zoro, "There's more space just up at the square. I'll see ya all in a few."

She walked out of the restaurant/bar and went to the town square to wait for Roronoa Zoro. She grinned to herself. If she defeated him she would be well on her way to fulfilling her dream that she promised to her mother and her deceased brother.

**Author's Note:**

**Well here it is, the One Piece fanfict I've been tellin' y'all about! [:**

**So tell me what ya think, please?**

**Review[:**


	2. Strength

_** Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

"What's your problem, Zoro?" Nami asked when Etsu walked out.

"I can't believe it. She has to be related to him! If she is, I wonder if she has his skills?" Zoro asked himself.

The others looked at him like he was crazy, yet they followed him out of the restaurant/bar after placing a few coins on the table.

Not too long after Etsu arrived, so did the Straw Hats. She smirked at Zoro and unsheathed her two swords and took her stance as Zoro did with his three, placing one in his mouth.

She charged at him with her blades crossed, "_Fuu Sen Sabeki!_" Zoro skillfully dodged the attack and brought his blades down upon Etsu, who blocked them with her two.

This went on for about another ten minutes or so until Etsu, using her speed, flashed before Zoro and hit his arm with her blade.

Zoro grunted and glared at her before charging at her. The two engaged in a strength battle. Etsu though strong for a female, was not stronger than Zoro. She fell to the ground with a blade pointed to her heart.

Zoro smirked as he let Etsu grab her swords and sheathe them.

She cursed, "Damn it! I can't believe I lost! Hajime forgive me. I will become stronger and I will become the greatest swordswoman."

Zoro snapped his head in Etsu's direction, "Did you say Hajime?"

She nodded, looking at him oddly.

"As in Arai Hajime, the one who came so close to defeating Hawk-Eyes Mihawk?"

Etsu nodded again, "Ya know him?"

Zoro nodded this time, "You could say so."

Luffy bounded over gleefully to the swordmasters, "Looks like you have to join our crew, Swordswoman-san!"

Etsu looked up to the sky then back to the ground and sighed, "I guess so." She turned on her heel and began to walk to her house, "You're all welcome to come with me."

They nodded and followed her. Nami fell into step beside her, "I guess since you're joining us you should atleast know our names. I'm Nami. That's Usopp," she motioned to the long-nosed male behind them. "You already know Zoro." Etsu nodded, looking back at Zoro. "And that's our captain Luffy." Nami went to motion towards Luffy, but he was gone. "Luffy?"

They heard laughter, "Up here!"

Etsu's eyes widened, "How...how the hell did he get up there?" Luffy was waving at them from the top of one of the tallest trees on the island.

Her question was answered when Luffy stretched out his legs to the ground and came down.

"Devil Fruit," Etsu stated more or so than asked.

Luffy nodded, "I ate the Gum Gum Fruit. I'mma rubber man!"

Etsu giggled as he stretched out his face.

"Mama, I'm back. And I uh have some friends with me," Etsu called into the small home as she invited the Straw Hat Pirates in.

They all sat down in the small living area.

Etsu mother walked in from the kitchen smiling, "Well hello there." She greeted.

The pirates smiled kindly back, Luffy with his big grin.

"Mama, I gotta tell ya something," Etsu started.

"Well what is it dear?" She looked her daughter in the eyes.

Etsu stared back and the others just watched as silent words were shared.

Her mother nodded a smile on her face and happy and sad tears mixed, cascading down her face, "I knew this day was going to come soon." She hugged Etsu, "When are you leaving?"

Etsu shrugged and looked back at Luffy.

Luffy grinned, "We were planning on leaving tomorrow morning."

Her mother smiled kindly, "Then would you all like to join us for dinner?"

"Will there be meat?" The Pirate Crew and Etsu sweatdropped.

"Lots," Etsu's mother nodded.

"Yahoo!" Luffy shouted.

The others laughed.

"Well dinner isn't going to be ready for another hour or so, so you might as well do whatever you Pirates do," Etsu's mother told them walking to the kitchen.

"We didn't mention that we were pirates," Nami exclaimed. "How'd you know?"

"Oh let's just say I have my ways," Etsu's mother laughed and began to work on dinner.

"So what's there to do on this island?" Usopp asked as they all got up and followed Etsu out the door.

"Not a whole lot, but if you're all welcome to explore around to find out," she said, beginning to walk into the forest. "If ya need me, I'll be in here somewhere."

They nodded and began to walk back into the city, except for Zoro who went and leaned against a large rock jutting out of the ground and fell asleep.

An hour later~

"I-" Etsu gritted her teeth.

"Will-"

"Become-"

"The greatest!" She cried out as she slashed through her wooden targets in front of her.

Sheathing her swords she sighed, "Hajime, I say that everyday and I'll keep saying it until it happens."

Hidden behind some trees, a certain green haired man watched her as she trained and thought, 'So she's made a promise too?'

Standing straight, she walked over to a tree with a hole in it's trunk she grabbed onto two objects that Zoro couldn't comprehend what they were.

"Guess since I'm leaving, I can't leave these. Might as well take 'em with me," Etsu said to herself walking out of the forest. She paused for a moment looking out the corner of her eye before shaking her head and kept walking back to her home.

Zoro let out a breath and after counting a minute, he left the forest too.

Etsu could smell her mother's delicious cooking before she even walked into the home. Walking into the kitchen, she smiled at the others.

Nami sighed, "Now all we gotta do is wait for Zoro. Where is he?"

At that moment, Zoro walked in.

She leaned over to Nami, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

The two females giggled and got odd looks from Usopp and Zoro, who sat at the end of the table.

Etsu's mother turned around from the stove and set different dishes in front of everyone, "Alright everyone, dig in!"

Luffy just about inhaled the food that was set in front of him.

When every one was done, Etsu and Nami helped wash the dishes while Zoro and Luffy went into the living room and laid down and took naps. Usopp was tinkering with something from his bag.

The two girls chatted like girls do, though it had been a long time since Etsu had just merely talked with another girl her age as most girls on the island had nothing to do with a swordswoman.

After they had finished, Etsu's mother invited them to sleep in their house knowing that it would be a long time before they get to sleep in a house again.

Etsu's new crewmates and captain kindly accepted the invitation and fell straight to sleep in the living room.

The following morning, Zoro was the first to wake. Or so he thought. He walked into the kitchen, smelling the sweet aroma of something on the stove.

"Good mornin'," came Etsu's voice.

Zoro had only realized her being there just then. She was standing beside a kitchen chair, with her foot on it. She was strapping one of those things he saw before that she got from the tree around her leg.

"What are those?" he asked, sitting down across from her.

"Oh these? They're just leg weights. I use 'em because because they train my muscles easier even when I'm not training officially. Wanna see one?" Etsu smirked as she passed the one on the table over to Zoro.

Zoro's eyes widened briefly before straightening his face out. He passed the weight back to Etsu, who strapped it on her other leg before putting on her boots.

"These one's are just the twenty pounds. I wear these when I just do daily stuff," she walked over to the stove. "Hot chocolate? I'd have coffee or something, but I don't drink it."

Zoro shook his head, "I'm good."

The two just sat in silence except for the occasional sound of Etsu sipping her hot chocolate.

A few minutes later, everyone else began to stir and walk into the kitchen. Etsu offered them hot chocolate which they gladly took.

Finishing her drink, Etsu stood up, "I'm going to go get my things. My room is right down the hall if you need me."

Walking out of the kitchen and to her room, Etsu grabbed the bag of of clothes and other necessities and walked out. Though she didn't head straight for the others. She stopped and placed her bags down beside a closed door. Quietly she opened the door to the room that hadn't been entered in years. Her eyes held sadness, but she told herself she'd never cry again.

Along the walls and shelves were assortments of swords, all that belong to her brother. She stopped beside the dresser and picked up a dusty picture frame that protected a picture of a little three year old girl and a sixteen year old boy, both smiling at the camera. Etsu held a hand over her mouth and choked back sobs that threatened to escape.

In the kitchen, the others were standing up too.

"What's taking her so long?" Luffy asked.

"She probably needs help with her bags," Nami motioned the others to follow her. "C'mon guys."

Walking down the hall, Nami looked confused for a moment as she noticed bags sitting against the wall a few doors down, though the door they were standing at said, 'Etsu's Room.'

Nami put a finger over her lips, shushing the boys and they quietly followed her as she walked to the open door where the bags sat. Peeking her head into the room, her eyes softened.

Usopp, Luffy, and Zoro wanted to see also so they leaned over and peered into the room.

Looking down at a picture frame was Etsu with a few tears falling from her face. She seemed not to know they were there as she set the frame down and sat on the bed and began to talk like someone else was in there.

"Hajime, I miss you so much. Ya probably already know, but I'm leaving with those pirates, I'm seventeen now so it's best I get a move on, on my dream. They seem like good people. Amazing, I know," she laughed quietly. "I know you're watching over me and mama, but I want you to watch her. She'll be all by herself now. And I'll keep my promise to become the greatest swordswoman. Just you wait and see. I have your sword," she put her hand over the sword at her hip with red and purple ribbons and a silver charm. She then put her hand on her neck, here a small choker resided, "I still have Papa's necklace too." Standing up she, wiping away the few stray tears, she said, "I'll be back one day but not until I'm the greatest swordswoman. I love you, Hajime." Tears began to fall again. Nami pushed pass the boys and stood in front of Etsu, wrapping her arms around her. The guys followed and stood behind her.

"Nami?" Etsu lifted her head.

Nami nodded.

Etsu looked at the others. Luffy grinned at her, "We'll help you reach your dream, swordswoman-san!"

Nami, Zoro, and Usopp nodded, smiling.

Etsu stepped back as Nami stood by the others. Even though she hadn't known them that long, she smiled and wiped away more tears. "Oh guys!" She launched forward and wrapped the others in one big hug, "Thank you!"

They all pulled away smiling. Nami then put a hand on her hips, "Okay guys, grab her bags and let's go!"

"My bags aren't a problem, Nami, I'll carry them," Etsu told her.

Nami shook her head, "We women shouldn't carry our bags if we have men with us, even if you can hardly count these idiots as men."

Etsu laughed.

Luffy, Usopp, and Zoro each grabbed a bag. Zoro lifted the bag he grabbed easily. Usopp and Luffy on the other hand could barely get the bags off the ground.

"What the hell is in here?" Usopp said, panting as he let the bag he grabbed go.

Etsu bent down and picked up that bag and grabbed the other bag from Luffy, "Oh you know, clothes, hairbrush, sword sharpeners, and weights. The usual."

She held the bags easily, both in one hand and her, Nami, and Zoro laughed at Luffy and Usopp's faces.

"What? I'm a swordswoman," she grinned at them then walked out the front door, the others following her.

Her mother was on the porch, leaning against the rail with a distant look in her eyes.

Etsu opened her mouth to speak but her mother beat it to her, "You keep your promise and achieve your dream ya hear? Or so help me, the next time I'll see you, it won't be pretty."

Etsu smiled and nodded and hugged her mother, "You be careful."

Her mother hugged back, "Me be careful? You're the one joining a pirate crew and you tell me to be careful? Oh you remind me so much of your papa and brother."

Etsu smiled and picked up the bags and waved to her mother, "Bye, Mama!"

Her mother waved back and watched as the Straw Hat Crew and their newest member walked down the dirt street and to the docks where their ship was.

**Author's Note:**

** 2nd chappie[: hehe.**

** Review please?**

** Pictures of Etsu are on my deviantart account~link on my profile[:**


	3. The Marimo and The Ochibi

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

* * *

Just as Etsu was about to step onto the ladder first, they heard a yell. She turned around and face-palmed. It was Fujisaki.

"Etsu-chan! Where the hell are you going?" he yelled, coming to a stop in front of her.

"Where does it look like I'm going?" she asked back.

He looked at her like he was about to cry, "You can't leave! You can't!"

"I can, Fuji-san. And I will," Etsu told him as calmly as she could. She hardly had any patience with Fujisaki just because he could be so damn annoying.

"Oh, so you're going to leave behind your mother just to run off with some pirates?" He put an hand on her arm, "You're going to leave me? But I thought...I thought there was something between us. I love you!"

Etsu shook her head and stepped away from Fujisaki and ended up bumping back into Zoro. Muttering a sorry, she looked at Fujisaki, "My mother and I discussed this Fuji-san. And sorry, but there was never anything between us and I don't love you."

Etsu could here the others suck in a breath. She knew it was harsh but they knew nothing about her.

Fujisaki stood there shaking for minute before glaring at Etsu, "Fine then. If that's the way it is." He turned to walk away from her, but reared back his arm and threw his fist at her. It all happened in a blink of an eye as Etsu unsheathed her sword and put it between her and Fujisaki.

When it was over, Etsu gasped. She knew her sword was going to do some damage to Fujisaki, but she didn't know that Zoro would unsheathe his sword too. Etsu followed Zoro's arm that went over her shoulder and in his hand was his sword. The tip of his blade had made contact with Fujisaki's arm not far from where Etsu's had. Pulling back her sword and sheathing it, Etsu closed her eyes and turned her head away, though unknowingly to her it was facing the direction of Zoro, who's blade was still in Fujisaki's hand.

"It is dishonorable to strike someone like that. Especially a woman," Zoro narrowed his eyes at Fujisaki, sheathing his blade.

Fujisaki cradled his hand and glared at the two. Then his eyebrow rose, "Oh so you betray me, Etsu-chan, for a stupid pirate?"

Etsu was confused until she opened her eyes. She eeped and backed way as she saw Zoro's chest in his face.

Etsu shook her head and glared at Fujisaki and pulled out her own sword and pointed the tip at Fujisaki's neck, "Fujisaki, you are one very stupid person. Get it through your thick head that I don't love you. I'm not yours and I never will be. Leave. Now!"

Fujisaki jumped at her outburst and quickly ran away. Etsu sheathed her sword and began climbing up the ladder after the others. Zoro, being the only one who could pick up Etsu's bags beside herself, tossed Etsu's three bags up to her, before climbing in himself.

Zoro pulled up the anchor and Usopp and Luffy let the main sail down, letting the Going Merry, the ship's name Etsu learned, catch the wind and sail off.

After getting her things situated in the women's quarters, Etsu walked outside and looked around the ship. Usopp was in the crow's nest, Nami looking at a map on the lower deck, Luffy sitting atop Merry's head, and Zoro leaning against the rail on the upper deck. Straightening up her brown over shirt, a habit she started when she grew older because of things that happened back home a long time ago, Etsu walked up to the upper deck and stopped beside Zoro and rested her arms on the rail.

Sighing she spoke, "Thank ya, ya know for before I mean."

Zoro didn't respond for a few moments, "You're welcome. Creeps like that should at least know how to honor themselves."

Etsu chuckled softly, "Well Fujisaki is a creep and he's stupid too. I can handle myself though, ya know. I've been dealing with that ever since a few years after Hajime died."

She saw Zoro nod out of the corner of her eye.

"So is he like an ex-boyfriend or something? He seemed pretty obsessed back there," Zoro asked.

Etsu's eyes widened, "Oh hell no. Fujisaki is too much of a damned bastard and a stalker. Why do you ask, Marimo-kun?" She laughed as the name just came from the top of her head.

Zoro glared at her, "Don't call me that. And no reason, just curious, Ochibi."

Etsu's mouth dropped and she turned to face Zoro who was smirking at her though his eyes were closed. "I'm not short!" she shouted, causing the others to turn their way.

"Of course you're not, the top of your head just stops at my chest. Your really tall, you know that?" Zoro mocked.

Etsu lightly puffed out her cheeks childishly and turned away, hopping over the railing to the lower deck, "Whatever you stupid, Marimo bastard."

"Stop calling me that!"

Etsu turned around threw him a raspberry and sauntered off to where Nami was.

Nami rose her eyebrow, "What was that about?"

"Oh nothing, just the Marimo being a bastard," Etsu said, waving it off.

Nami laughed. Folding up her map and looking out to the sea she asked, "So do you like it so far?"

Etsu nodded, "Much. Though is the battle-action always this lifeless?"

Nami shook her head, "Not usually, though if you're looking for action just wait awhile. It always finds us somehow."

Etsu smiled.

For the rest of the day, Etsu talked and goofed around with the others on the ship, becoming friends with them in just a short amount of time. Though they could be a bit annoying such as Luffy doing crazy stuff, Usopp being a scaredy cat, and Zoro being, well, Zoro.

Dark fell fast and the Straw Hat Pirates tied up their sail and lowered the anchor for the night.

"You going to sleep, Etsu?" Nami asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Her and Etsu were the only one's still awake.

Etsu shook her head, "I think I'm going to stay awake for a little longer, if ya don't mind."  
Nami nodded and walked into the women's quarters to sleep.

Etsu sighed and leaned against the rail for moment before grabbing her swords and unsheathing them. Raising them in the air, she brought them down as if she were attacking someone.

Being light on her feet, still wearing the weights mind you, she slashed the air as if it were her enemy. She practiced and until her arms became sore. Sheathing her swords, she took a deep breath and look over the sea once more. She leaned against the railing and watched the sea as its waves calmly moved.

Losing the fight against sleep, her eyes slowly closed. She wasn't the only one who had fallen asleep outside, for just up on the upper deck was Zoro in the same position, softly snoring.

Luffy grinned as he moved the cannon across the deck and aimed at a giant rock in the middle of the sea. Firing the cannon, Luffy's grin fell clean off his face and replaced with a pout.

A unison pair of "What the hell?" could be heard as the two sleeping swordsmasters were awoken.

They were ignored as Usopp began going on about he was being the best sharpshooter. Aiming the cannon he said, "By adjusting it to this angle it should be a dead hit." He fired and lo-and-behold he hit the rock.

Zoro had shut his eyes and went back to sleep, but Etsu grumbled and stood up and walked down into the girl's quarters and changed into another pair of black capris and switched her over brown over shirt of a clean one.

She sat down on the small mattress where her bags were placed and rifled through one. She sighed and smiled at the picture frame that she brought out and placed it on the nightstand. Gazing at it for a few minutes she decided it best to head back outside when she heard a ruckus coming from up there. She stood and stretched her arms before walking up the stairs.

Upon stepping foot outside, she almost ran into a stranger running across the deck. A stress mark grew on her head, "What the hell? Watch where you're goin'!"

The guy stopped and waved causing Etsu to raise an eyebrow, "Who the hell are you?"

"That's Johnny. One of my old pirate hunting partners," Etsu looked up to see Zoro leaning over the railing above her.

Johnny grinned, "That's right." He turned facing Zoro, "It should be a few hours or so till we get to the Baratie."

Zoro nodded while Etsu grew a confused look on her face, "The Baratie?"

"Its a restaurant in the middle of the sea. Home of the fighting chefs," Johnny informed her.

Etsu slowly nodded, understanding. Then her stomach growled. She looked away, her face tinted pink, "Well I hope we get there soon."

Zoro and Johnny nodded, agreeing with her before going their separate ways; Zoro to take nap and Johnny ran off to tend to his partner who was leaning up against the railing looking sick.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the wait y'all [: But here it is~! I'm trying to focus more on Etsu, so if it seems like its focusing more on her, then that's what it should seem like. [:**

**Also, I watch the _Funimation_ dubbed version of One Piece so if things seem off, eh. Lol. I know a little bit of all the names from the undubbed version like '_Marimo'_ meaning Moss Ball(head in Zoro's case, hehe). And if I'm right, _'Ochibi'_ means something along the lines of shorty. **

**I'll try my best to have the next chapter up soon! **

**Review? :D**


	4. He's Nuts Isn't He?

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

* * *

"So what do ya think?" Johnny asked with a big grin on his face.

Luffy and Usopp were drooling at the sight of the Baratie and Etsu was leaning over the edge of the Going Merry.

"It's so big!" Etsu commented with amazement.

"Wow! It's a big fish!" Luffy laughed.

"How lovely!" Nami clasped her hands together.

"Isn't this the coolest place ever?"

Suddenly bells and a ship's horn started going off. Etsu blinked and faced where the noise was coming from. She scowled, "It's Marines."

"What's it doing all the way out here?" Yosaku asked, coming out from behind the cabin's door.

The Marine vessel creaked as it drew closer to the Going Merry.

Usopp had sweat coming down his face, "Hey Luffy, they're not gunna start firing at us, are they?"

"Just my luck. Of course the Marines would show up," Zoro said, glaring at the ship.

"If they do attack, I'll just kick they're stupid asses," Etsu exclaimed, still scowling at the ship.

"But how did that ship..." Nami trailed off.

Johnny began to creep over to where Yosaku was and the two hid behind the cabin door.

A man with pink hair wearing a suit walked over the edge of the Marine ship, "I've never seen that pirate flag..." He slammed his hand down on the rail. "I am Ironfist Fullbody, but you can just call me sir."

Etsu scoffed and muttered, "Sir my ass."

Zoro and Usopp stifled their chuckles.

"You there! Identify yourself! Who is the captain?" Fullbody yelled.

Luffy walked up to the railing, "My name is Luffy!"

Usopp walked up beside him, "My name is Usopp got it?"

Nami and Etsu rolled their eyes, and Luffy look at Usopp like he was stupid.

"We only made our flag the day before yesterday," Luffy shouted out.

"That's right Marine! And I drew it!" Usopp also shouted.

Luffy grew a stress mark on his forehead. Etsu sighed and walked up behind Usopp and grabbed his ear, pulling him back.

Fullbody smirked, "You did? Is that so?" He caught Yosaku and Johnny peeking over the edge of the door, "Hey, you two. I've seen you before. You're that bounty hunter dup that goes after the small fish. Right?"

"Well we..." Johnny and Yosaku began to quiver a little.

"So you've finally been caught by pirates?"

Johnny tried to tell him the real reason but Fullbody laughed at them.

"Well that's a laugh," he said. A blond woman came up behind Fullbody and wove her arms around his arm.

"Hey, c'mon baby. Let's get going," she told him.

"Shh, dear."

Johnny reached into his shirt an pulled out bounty fliers, "You think small time bounty hunter would go after these guys?"

But Fullbody and the woman walked away, ignoring him.

"Just like Marines to ignore others. They sure have sticks shoved way up their asses," Etsu remarked.

Zoro laughed aloud, "What else could ya expect?"

Etsu grinned.

Nami on the other hand looked down at the wanted posters that fell on the deck. She kneeled down and picked up a poster with a funny looking man named Arlong, "What are these things?"

"Well these are all wanted pirates, Nami-aneki-" Johnny quickly covered his mouth. Nami had told them earlier that she didn't want them calling her that. "In other words, if we defeat them we get the reward money."

"Hey guys?" Etsu hollered out. They all looked at her. She pointed to the cannon from the side of the Marine ship aimed at them.

The Marines fired causing a loud explosion and the Going Merry to shake. Etsu lost her balance and almost fell off the railing had Zoro not been there to catch her by the arm.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy yelled. "Now Gum Gum-" The cannonball hit him, stretching him out across the deck, "-SLINGSHOT!"

Luffy's body catapulted the cannonball, but his arm slipped causing him to turn towards the sea restaurant, and instead of hitting the Marine ship, it flew over to the Baratie and hit it, putting a big hole in the roof. A loud yell came from inside where the cannonball hit.

Etsu eyed two people dressed as chefs as they came and took Luffy off of the Going Merry.

"Is he gunna be okay?" Etsu asked.

Zoro shrugged, "He can take care of himself."

Etsu rolled her eyes and leaned against the railing looking at the details of the Baratie.

They all sighed and waited for what might happen next while Johnny and Yosaku fixed the railing to part of the upper deck that Johnny had destroyed when he went on a rampage.

"What's taking Luffy so long?" Usopp asked. "They'll probably make him work without pay for like a whole month."

"Yea. He should've just said it was the Marine's fault instead of being so freakin' honest," Nami complained.

Suddenly dust started flying out of the hole.

"What the hell is that?" Etsu asked.

"Probably just Luffy making a deal with the owner," Usopp answered her, waving it off.

She rose an eyebrow and shook her head, "My captain's seriously nuts isn't he?"

Zoro gave a wicked grin, "You better believe it."

Silence passed a few seconds before they all broke out laughing.

"I'm hungry. Let's go in there and eat while we're here," Usopp said after their laughter died.

Zoro, Nami, and Etsu nodded in agreement and boarded Johnny and Yosaku's boat while they continued to work on the Going Merry.

Just as the four were tying the small boat to the restaurant, the sounds of yelling and crashing could be heard from inside.

"That better not be Luffy," Nami said shaking her head.

When they pushed open the door, they were greeted with the scene of customers shaking in fear as they looked towards a smashed table and Fullbody, who had blood dripping down his face, being held by the throat of who they assumed was a waiter.

"Hmm, a fight," Zoro announced.

The blond waiter, glared at him, a cigarette in his mouth, "Don't ever waste food around me again. You got that?"

Fullbody twitched and gasped for air.

The blond man went on, "At sea, if you ever provoke your cook, you're signing your own death warrant. Remember that."

Though the scene was definitely not something to laugh at, Etsu couldn't contain a giggle. Her crewmates looked at her.

She gave a small smile, "What? What he said is true. I remember when my mother used to beat others with her wooden spoon when they messed with her..."

They chuckled as they all turned their attention back to the blond male and Fullbody.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well here's the update! The next one should be out soon! And for those who are waiting for the sequel of Shout It Out., I'm working on it! I've got the first paragraph or so of it down[:**

**Remember, you can always add my Facebook[Cheerup Skitz] for faster updates[: and if you need in appearance reference, I have pictures of Etsu on my deviantart[link on my profile].**

**Anyways, thank y'all for reading!**

**Please Review! :D**


	5. Chefs and Roses

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

From another door, a tall, man with tattoos on his arms who appeared to be a cook began to rant to the blond waiter about treating customers with respect.

When he was finished speaking, the blond waiter turned his glare back to the Marine Lieutenant and dropped him to the floor.

Etsu, Nami, Zoro, and Usopp stayed at the front doors of the Baratie watching the scene as Fullbody began to shake and speak.

"No restaurant should treat its customers like this. I'll shut you down! Do you understand me? I will shut you down! This entire place, this whole restaurant is finished! You hear me?"

Etsu rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, 'How could he not? You're freakin' yellin' in his face.'

The waiter glared down at Fullbody very harshly, "Then maybe I should just finish you off now."

Fullbody turned his scared, bloodied face up to the waiter who had begun to walk towards him.

Out of no where, other chefs that had been watching the whole ordeal latched on to the waiter's arms and held him back from attacking the Marine, "Sou-chef Sanji, stop it!"

'Sou-chef?' Etsu thought, mildly amused as the once thought waiter tried to lash out at the Marine, while his cigarette stayed between his lips as he yelled.

"Arrogant assholes like you think they're such big shots and can push anyone around really piss me off!" The Marine scooted a few feet away from the Sou-chef. "You're not such a big shot now, are you?"

Before Fullbody could even speak, Luffy and some man broke through the ceiling.

"What the hell?" Etsu thought out loud. The Baratie's customers around them gasped in shock while the Straw Hats just rose their eyebrows.

The man stood up while Luffy sat up gasping for air, "I can breathe again!"

"Chef Zeff, what's happening? You didn't hurt yourself did you?" Asked a random chef.

"Damn it, my ceiling! Another thing that's gunna have to get fixed because of you!" The chef yelled crouching down in front of Luffy, his abnormally tall hat towering over Luffy, "This is all your fault! You brat!"

Luffy yelled back, "How was it my fault? You attacked me!"

Nami and Etsu sighed. Etsu looked over at Luffy, "Our captain-"

"-is an idiot." Zoro finished her sentence.

Etsu looked up at him with an eyebrow raised, laughing quietly, "Well said."

She then looked over to where many chefs were holding back the Sou-chef, "Chef Zeff, could ya quit messin' around and give us a hand? Sanji's gone crazy again!"

Luffy and Chef Zeff turned their glares from each other and looked over at the chefs and Sanji. Chef Zeff stood up straight and began walking over to the other chefs and Sanji.

"Hey Sanji! Don't tell me you went on another rampage in here you idiot!"

Sanji stopped struggling for a moment and the chefs let him go, "Put a cork in it, old man!"

"Oh so you're ordering me around. Just who do you think you're talking to? Do you wanna sink my restaurant to the bottom of the sea? You punk!" Chef Zeff kicked Sanji in the face with his wooden leg, which Etsu didn't notice until just then.

"Holy shit! He only has one leg!" She exclaimed wide eyed. "That's so cool!" Her crewmates looked at her oddly. "What?"

They just shook their heads and Zoro patted her head, "It's nothing, Ochibi."

Etsu swatted his hand away and stuck out her tongue childisly, "Shut up, Marimo-kun." After that, the crew had gotten tired of standing and found a table that would seat all of them. They sat down at a round table, Usopp and Zoro sitting across from each other, Etsu to Zoro's left and Nami to Etsu's left.

Fullbody had smirked at Sanji but quickly jumped as Chef Zeff yelled at him, "You too! Get your ass out of my restaurant!" Chef Zeff also kicked him in the face, sending him flying to the floor.

The tattooed chef from earlier yelled at Sanji, "How can you deny our motto that the customer is king?"

Sanji 'hmph'ed, "The only kingly customers around here are the ones that stomach the slop you call food."

Usopp snickered and muttered under his breath, "Burn~." Etsu giggled and nodded her head, agreeing with him.

Chef Zeff glared at Sanji and the other chef, "That's it, if you two wanna fight, you'll take it to the kitchen, you understand me?"

Suddenly a voice came shouting for the beaten Marine. Everyone turned their attention to the entrance of the Baratie.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant Fullbody! We've-we've got trouble!" A marine come running around the corner with blood and a frantic look on his face.

Etsu sat her elbows on the table and place her chin in her hands, swinging her feet back and forth, watching the scene wondering what the trouble was. Nami and Usopp watched with anticpation and Zoro placed his feet in the table.

"He escaped! Pirate Krieg's henchman escaped and attacked us and vanished!"

"He what?" Fullbody yelled.

"Well sir, we've already lost seven of our men and the only thing we wanted out of him was a lead to finding Krieg," The marine looked down ashamed.

"Impossible! When we picked him up three days ago he was right on the verge of starving to death and we haven't fed him anything!" Fullbody shouted. "Where'd he get the strength?"

"Such gracious hosts the Marines are," Etsu muttered sarcastically with a smirk. Around the Strawhats that were seated the customers began looking frantic and scared, shouting about the loose pirate.

The Marine that had informed the Lieutenant began to apologize, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I-" He was cut off by being shot in the back.

"Now things are getting interesting," Etsu said then she pouted. "Marimo-kun, you're feet are in the way!"

Zoro rolled his eyes and smirked, "Well that's whatcha get for being so short, Ochibi."

Etsu gave a fake, childish glare and pushed Zoro's feet slightly to the side to watch the events to come.

A man stood behind where the Marine fell, gun still raised. Some of the customers around them either screamed or yelled out in shock and began to run to the back corner of the restaurant.

The man who had shot the Marine began to slowly enter the restaurant and then seated himself at one of the vacant tables.

"It would seem we have a new customer, sir," the tattooed chef said to Chef Zeff.

Zeff nodded, "He'd be well to mind his manners and not start any trouble on my ship."

Luffy smiled, adjusting his straw hat on his head, "A pirate huh?"

The pirate place a foot on the table, "I don't care what it is, just bring me something to eat." He looked at the tattooed chef and Zeff. "C'mon, this is a restaurant, isn't it?"

The tattooed chef gave a wide, visibly sarcastic smile, and hands clasped together, "Hello and welcome you damn crook." The other customers gasped.

The pirate looked down, his blue headband shadowing his eyes, "I'm only going to say this one more time. Bring me something to eat and make it quick."

The tattooed chef still smiling asked, "Of course, but might I be so bold to inquire how you're paying for your meal?"

The pirate gave short chuckle and pointed the gun to the chef's head, "Would a bullet be enough?"

The chef's smile turned into a frown and an angry glare, "So you don't have any money then?" The chef quickly brought his fist down onto the pirate, splintering the chair he was sitting in into pieces.

Etsu gave a smirk, "I like this restaurant!" Nami whacked the back of her head.

"Be quiet!" Etsu glared and resumed watching the pirate and the chef.

"That dumbass Patty broke another chair," Zeff said with his arms crossed.

"Sorry Pirate, but our policy is only serve paying customers," the tattooed pirate, now known as Patty, exclaimed.

The customers and other chefs cheered while Sanji just took a puff of his cigarette and Luffy watched wide-eyed with amazment.

The pirate sat up and clutched his stomach as it growled.

"Awh, I can hear your stomach grumbling from here, pirate," Patty taunted.

The pirate looked up at him, "That was a fart, jerk. Now listen get me something to eat now!"

Patty yelled at the pirate, "We're not getting you anything to eat so beat it!"

Etsu whistled lowly under her breath, "Harsh." She then noticed that the Sou-chef Sanji was heading up the winding stairs to the kitchen. Chef Zeff followed him.

She turned her attention back to the hoots and hollers that were coming from the customers that were there before them as Patty begun to kick the crap out of the Pirate then to her captain who was watching the scene with a frown. Doing so, she also happened to notice the Marines crawling out of the restaurant.

"Cowards," Etsu muttered. Zoro looked at her and she pointed to the Marines. He nodded with a frown.

Patty then stopped kicking the pirate and did a weird curtsy with his apron causing the customers to cheer, "Now you damn crooks, if you need anything just ask, okay?"

He then picked up the pirate and carried him over his shoulder and took him out one of the side doors to where Etsu presumed lead outside.

"Well that entertainment didn't last long," Etsu said leaning back in her chair.

Usopp stared at her with wide eyes, "You call that entertainment?"

Etsu shrugged with a small grin on her face, "Well...yea."

Usopp shuddered and then used his index fingers into a cross, "Stay away!"

Etsu reached over the table and smacked him on the head. Nami and Zoro laughed and eventually after a few seconds Usopp and Etsu joined in too.

The Strawhat crew then looked around for their captain who had disappeared.

Zoro leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head, "The head chef guy probably made him go upstairs."

As soon as he said that, Sanji came walking down the stairs with a plate of food and a drink and went out the door that Patty threw the pirate out of.

After a few minutes a chef came by and took their orders for food and drinks and not too long after that did their food arrive. Zoro took his feet off they could eat.

"Ahh~ This food is so good!" Etsu exclaimed as she took small spoonfuls of the soup and bites of the seafood. The others nodded agreeing with her.

Then she saw Luffy coming down the stairs and she smiled waving him over, "Oh chore-boy! Over here!"

Her crew mates laughed at the nickname.

Luffy made a face and leaned over the railing of the winding stairs, "What are you doing?"

Usopp grinned, "We heard you had to work here for a whole year!"

"Is it okay if we redraw the flag for our ship?" Zoro asked, chuckling.

"Oooo! I call being the captain while he's working!" Etsu giggled.

Usopp shook his head, "No way! I call being captain!"

Luffy jumped over the railing, "You're eating all this delicious food without me? What kind of crew are you? How could you do this to me?"

Zoro laughed, "Hold on. I think this is our business, isn't that right?"

Etsu put a hand over her mouth and began shaking with laughter she was containing as did Nami and Usopp as Luffy picked his nose and flicked a booger into Zoro's drink.

Zoro smiled, "You know I have to say the food here is really quite delicious. Good stuff. Yes it is. I feel bad for ya, but-" Zoro's smile grew wicked and began laughing as he grabbed Luffy's head and shoved his drink in his face and forcefully made him drink the contaminated water.

Etsu pounded her hands onto the table as she, Nami, and Usopp let loose their laughter, getting stares from some of the customers.

Luffy was on floor holding his throat trying to spit out the water, "Ugh! I can't believe you did that!"

Zoro stood over him with a glare, "Yea, well I can't believe you did that!"

"Eww, nasty!" Luffy hacked.

Suddenly arms wrapped around Etsu's and Nami's shoulders, "Oh my! Has heaven so gratefully rewarded me by sending me two lovely angels?"

Sanji appeared between the two girls and took his arms off their shoulders and held out a red rose each to them.

Nami and Etsu both leaned away from the blond chef who had hearts in his eyes as they took the roses. Sanji put a hand over his face, "I'm prepared to sail to the ends of the Earth as a Pirate if it means I get to be with such rare beauties by my sides! But oh how tragic a great obstacle stands between us!"

"Ehehe..." Etsu laughed nervously.

Zoro glared at Sanji for reasons unknown to anyone but himself.

"And that great obstacle would be me, right?" Zeff said walking up to them. "Sanji..."

The hearts disappeared from Sanji's eyes, "Ugh, stupid geezer..."

"This is an opportunity you don't want to pass up. Why not join them and become a pirate?"

Sanji turned around, shaking and facing the head chef.

"I have no need to keep you here in restaurant," Zeff told him.

Sanji glared at the man.

Meanwhile Etsu slowly moved from her seat and then with quick speed she hid behind Zoro, peeking out from behind him.

"What are you doing?" He asked her a bit harshly.

"You're bigger than me, Marimo-kun. Don't let him touch me!" Etsu told him, pointing at Sanji.

Zoro facepalmed and turned his head to her, "What's your problem?" Then he remembered their conversation from the ship when they left her island, something about dealing with stuff since her brother died.

She flicked his nose lightly, "Don't question it!" She observed Sanji for a moment and nodded as if confirming he wouldn't do anything to her before calmly walked back to her seat as if she hadn't even gotten up.

Zoro rose an eyebrow and thought, 'Weird...I'll have to ask her later about what had happened on her island.' He then shook his head when he asked himself why he was concerned than he just told himself he was curious was all.

**Author's Note:**

** Hope y'all enjoyed this one! I know I like it :D **

**Anywho, I want you all to check out my latest Journal entry on my dA and tell me what you think about the part concerning this fanfic, please.**

** Review please?**


	6. Cruelty, Women, and Bikinis

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

Etsu munched on a small bread roll and watched with curiosity as the heated conversation passed between Sanji and Zeff.

"What reason should I have to keep you around here? You start fights with all the customers and flirt with every lady under eighty who walks through here," Zeff said, replying to something Sanji said. "You can't even cook a decent meal. You're worth less to me than the chum after brunch."

Sanji opened his mouth to reply but instead, glared as snickers came from the cooks above them.

"Not to mention the cooks around here avoid you as if you were poison. So why don't you just run off and be a pirate or whatever but get out of this restaurant," Zeff continued.

Sanji turned his glare to Zeff, "So that's how it is. You shoot off at the mouth and expect that I'm going to take it, old man?" He began walking towards Zeff the glare still on his face. "I can blow off everything you said but I'm not going to let anyone trash my cooking! I'm staying here as a Sou-chef and that's final!" He grabbed Zeff by the collar and brought back his fist as though he were going to hit him, "You hear me?"

Zeff wrapped his hands around Sanji's arms, "What do you think you're doing, grabbing your boss by the collar?"

Zeff grabbed Sanji by his own collar and threw him. A split-second before Sanji collided with the Strawhats table, they were able to move the dishes out of the way. Etsu only had to grab one bowl, Nami had two plates in the air, Usopp trying to keep the bowls from spilling, and Zoro had two plates in his hands and another on his head.

Etsu reached over with her free hand and grabbed a piece a meat from the plate on Zoro's head and bit into it.

Zoro rolled his eyes, "You're going to get fat."

Etsu swallowed the bite and stuck out her tongue, "Real nice, Marimo-kun. You really know how to compliment a lady."

Zoro gave a small scoff, "Lady my ass."

Etsu gave a short glare and thumped his head, causing him to almost drop the plates.

"Ow! Watch it, Ochibi!"

Etsu stuck out her tongue again and turned her attention to Sanji sitting up from his place on the knocked over table.

"Enough with the games! You can try to kick to me out, but I'm here to stay. I'm not going anywhere, old man. Not until you're dead and gone."

Zeff just walked away and chuckled sarcastically, "Dead? I've still got a hundred years left in me of kicking your ass."

"He's always gotta have the last word..." Sanji muttered.

The Strawhat captain bent down beside Sanji who was still sitting on the floor, "See? He said it was cool. Now you can become a pirate!"

"Shut up!" he yelled at Luffy before standing up straight and setting the table up right. He turned to Nami and Etsu, "My apologies." He placed a small wine glass and a large glass filled with fruit each in front of the two girls. He then wrapped an arm behind Nami and poured an orange drink into her glass, "I hope I can make it up to you with this fruit macedonia, my princess."

"Oh, wow! Thank you!" Nami replied to him.

Sanji went to do the same to Etsu. Just as he begun to move his arm around her, she tensed up and looked straight forward as he poured her drink, "No need to be shy, my lovely-"

Etsu tried to scoot away but his body blocked her on her other side.

Zoro noticed her discomfort, "Oi, dartboard brow, don't touch her."

Sanji paused from pouring Etsu's drink and glared at Zoro, "Don't tell me what to do. She's a lady and should be treated with care."

Etsu looked up at Sanji, discomfort plainly showing in her eyes and tried to shrink away from him.

Sanji noticed this and glared again at Zoro, "What did you do to her, you Marimo-bastard?"

Zoro glared back, "I didn't do anything to her! She just doesn't want to be touched!"

Sanji went to reply but Etsu interrupted them and began to rub her temple, "Ugh! You both are giving me headache now." She looked at Sanji again, this time a bit of anger in her eyes, "Please don't touch me." And then she looked at Zoro, "And please just shut up."

Zoro gave her an exasperated look.

"Of course!" Sanji then motioned to Zoro, "If he bothers you, just tell me, my lovely angel, and I'll kick his ass."

Etsu nodded and sighed with relief as Sanji backed away from her, for now.

Usopp then got in Sanji's face, "Hey! We should have some sort of apology too!"

Sanji shoved a cup of tea in his face, "This tea should be more than adequate enough for you. In fact you should thanking me."

Usopp glared, "What? You wanna fight? You're going to regret this!" He pointed his finger in Sanji's face, "Take him out, Zoro!"

Zoro nonchalantly sipped his hot tea, "You take him out."

Etsu laughed and began to pick at her fruit, taking out the strawberries that happened to be in it and placing them on a small plate and move it towards Zoro, "Here. I don't like strawberries."

Zoro rolled his eyes at her but took the red fruit anyways.

Usopp and Sanji were still arguing, both happened to leaning over Nami.

Nami clasped her hands together, and looked pleadingly up at Sanji, "Stop it! Please don't fight because of me."

Sanji grew a heart in his eyes, "Of course, my dear!"

"Who said it was about you?" Usopp yelled at Nami.

Etsu had to hold in her laughter as Nami began to use her girl charm against Sanji.

"I want to tell you that," Nami started.

"Yea?" Sanji had bigger hearts in his eyes.

"That all the food here is delicious," She began to stroke Sanji's face, who's body seemed to turn to Jell-o. "But it's a little to expensive."

Sanji smiled, "Relax! It's free!" He turned his head to Etsu, "It's free for you too, my dear!"

Etsu nodded, still trying not to laugh out loud while Nami wrapped her arms around Sanji's neck, "Oh thank you!"

Sanji grinned like an idiot which disappeared and glared at the men of the Strawhats, "You guys still have to pay though."

Zoro took a bite of one of the strawberries and with thick sarcasm said, "How very generous of you."

Usopp glared daggers at Sanji.

Luffy on the other hand laughed loudly causing Sanji to kick him right in the face. Luffy's head snapped back from being stretched out with a 'pop'.

"What are you kidding around for?" Sanji picked up Luffy and began to drag him away, "You're not here to lounge around."

After they disappeared to the kitchen, Etsu openly giggled and turned to Nami, "Taking advantage of a man like that. You're so cruel! You are such a _girl_! Good job!" Nami joined in with Etsu's laughter.

Nami gave a short bow, "Thank you, thank you! No applause, please."

Zoro huffed at the girls, and took a sip of his tea, "So you gotta use your body to get your way, huh?"

Nami rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Hey, atleast we don't have to pay."

Usopp shook his head and sat back down in his seat and reached for one of the strawberries on the plate Etsu handed to Zoro.

Zoro snatched the plate away, "Get your own damn berries."

Etsu giggled and was already nibbling on the last piece of fruit out of the dish.

Usopp's jaw dropped.

Etsu felt his stare and faced him slowly, "What? Do I have food on my face?"

Usopp shook his head, "Where'd the fruit go?"

Etsu leaned back in her chair, "Where do you think it went? I ate it. Duh."

"Again. I rest my case. You're going to get fat," Zoro said, chewing another strawberry.

"Awh, Marimo-kun cares that if I get fat, I'll have a heart attack!" Etsu said, grinning.

Zoro scoffed again, "Not really."

Etsu's face fell and she reached over and went to smack him but he caught her hand. He smirked at her which fell as a crooked smirk grew on Etsu's face.

She lifted her leg and kicked him lightly in the back of the head, causing him to choke on his food.

Etsu leaned back in her chair as Zoro's face tinted slightly blue from lack of oxygen.

Usopp rose an eyebrow, "Are you going to help him? He's choking there..."

Etsu flicked her gaze towards Zoro for a moment, who was glaring at her, "Eh. I dunno. Maybe I should let him suffer."

Zoro's face began to turn purple. Etsu sighed and stood up and walked over beside Zoro.

"I don't really know the Heimlich thingy, but I know one thing that'll work..." Etsu smirked. She stood on her tip-toes and cupped her hand around her mouth and whispered something into Zoro's ear. Zoro's eyes widened and the food caught in his throat went down. He stared at Etsu as she retreated back to her chair.

"Oi, Zoro, you okay? You're face is still red," Usopp asked.

Zoro nodded his head and sat down his chair trying not to look at Etsu who rolled her eyes at him, "You are such a guy. I was just joking 'bout that."

Zoro just shook his head and turned around his chair.

Nami looked at Etsu, "What did you tell him?"

Etsu giggled, "I just told him that I had this really tight bikini top that I wear when I go swimming and...well that's all I had to say. I was just joking about it, but you know guys..."

Nami laughed, "Such a cruel woman you are."

* * *

The Strawhat crew minus Luffy were outside on the Going Merry, fog surrounding them. Etsu sat on the railing, swinging her legs back and forth, Nami standing up, arms propped on the railing, Zoro as usual laying with his back against it, trying to take a nap, and Usopp was pacing on the deck.

Usopp groaned, "We've been here twiddling our thumbs for four days now! How long do ya think we're gunna be here anyways?"

"Who knows?" Zoro replied.

Usopp looked past the fogs to the Baratie, "He said he was going to have to stay a year, but I'm already so bored!"

"Quit whining, the food here is great!" Nami said.

"Yea! And it's free and we can eat as much as we want!" Etsu threw in.

Zoro rolled his eyes, "Tch, for you both it is. That stupid Dartboard-brow cook gives you women free food."

"Awh, is Marimo-kun jealous? Y'know I could go in there and tell him you're a girl if you want him to flirt with ya that badly," Etsu said, waggling her eyebrows.

"Shut your face, Ochibi, before I come over and cut it off," Zoro told her. "Eh on second thought, I'm too tired."

Etsu humphed and stuck out her tongue, "You just don't wanna get your ass kicked, Marimo-kun."

"Hey, Luffy!" Usopp suddenly yelled. The Strawhats turned their head and saw their captain walking while carrying a full garbage bag.

"Hmm?" Luffy replied.

"What are we still doing here? C'mon, let's just get out of this place!" Usopp asked.

"Just sit tight a little longer. I'm going to try to make another deal with the owner."

"Ugh! Well hurry up!"

Luffy didn't reply but instead turned his head towards the empty ocean, staring at it.

Etsu tilted her head and got off the railing and followed her captain's gaze. Out of no where a dark silhouette of a ship appeared.

As it got closer and closer her eyes widened slightly, "Holy...shit. That thing is ginormous!"

Zoro put his hand on his swords as he stood up, staring at it.

"Guys don't panic, but I think this is our cue to leave right now!" Usopp panicked, despite his own words.

"Look at the sheer size of that galleon!" Nami commented.

Overhearing Luffy and Sanji, Etsu learned that the ship belonged to Don Krieg, Ghin's, the pirate from four days earlier, captain.

"Wait...look it's all damaged! And...that's gotta be the captain!" Etsu said pointing from the damage on the ship to a tall man stepping off the galleon, being supported by Ghin, and walking to the front doors of the Baratie.

"What should we do?" Etsu asked turning to the others. "Wait here, or go inside?"

"We'll wait here for now," Zoro told them and walked towards the sied of the ship closest to the Baratie.

Etsu followed and resumed her place sitting on the railing.

No later than five minutes did customers from inside the Baratie become running out shouting and crying.

"Hey! See that?" Usopp asked.

Zoro nodded, "Yep."

"Are you serious?"

Zoro smirked, "Sure am." He turned his head towards Don Krieg's galleon, thinking about what might have happened to the ship.

He turned back to the Baratie and watched with interest as did the other three to see what would happen next.

A few minutes later, shouting could be heard along with the sound of crashing and then loud explosion followed. Smoke billowed out the front and back doors of the Baratie.

"What the hell was the that?" Usopp cried.

"Awh man, this sucks. I hope their not fighting. I wanna fight too!" Etsu whined, though even she was a bit astonished by the explosion coming from inside the sea restaurant.

Nami and Usopp looked at her oddly and Zoro just patted her head, "Don't worry, Ochibi. I'm sure you can beat up Usopp later if you're that bored."

Etsu shoved his hand away while Usopp crossed his index fingers yet again, "Back away demon! Don't come near me!"

Etsu grabbed Usopp by the back of his overalls and dangled him off the side of the Going Merry to scare him before setting him back onto the safety of the deck.

"Call me that again, and I'll drop ya next time," she said, with a lopsided grin.

Nami and Zoro snickered before watching the smoke clear away to see what was going on.

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the wait! I've been super busy with sports and everything. **

**Anywho, hope y'all liked this chapter~! I thought it was quite funny [: **

**Dunno when the next chapter will come out, but I'll try to get it out soon! **

**Also, don't forget that if you wanna see artwork for the fic, just check my DeviantArt[link on my profile] and if you want a fast update on what's happening to add my non-personal facebook to your friend's list. Just search Cheerup Skitz on facebook[:**

**Review please?**

**Thanks to all those who have read this and to those who have reviewed and added it and myself to your alert lists! :] Y'all are awesome!**

**Thanks again!**


	7. Grow A Pair

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

* * *

Etsu huffed, "I wonder what the hell is going on in there." She turned to the others, "I'm going in there." She vaulted the railing of the Going Merry and jumped up to the top deck of the Baratie.

"Hold up! I'm coming too!" Zoro shouted at her. He grabbed Usopp, "Come on, you're coming with us. Nami, stay here with the ship."

Zoro and Usopp followed Etsu, Usopp's whole body shaking, which when asked if he was scared, he denied it and said he was shaking from excitement.

They walked down the winding stair case and stopped midway. Etsu smirked and leaned against the column the stairs wrapped around, as Luffy brought back his fist and the tall man's suit began to shift to where guns appeared. 'Must be this Krieg guy...' she thought. She placed her hands on her swords and narrowed her eyes at Krieg.

Zoro used his thumb and unsheathed his sword a bit, "What's going on, Luffy? Ya need hand?"

"If you don't need help, that's okay too!" Usopp said still quivering.

Krieg looked up at the three, as did everyone else, with with a bit of surprise and his eyes instantly trailed over Etsu's form. She flipped him off. He turned his gaze to the other two, inspecting them over.

"Oh hey guys! I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this clown," Luffy replied to them causing Zoro to nod and sheathe his sword.

Etsu gave a tiny a pout, "Awh, ya sure, captain? I wanna kick some ass."

"Too bad," Usopp butted in before their captain could reply, "But if ya say you don't need any help, who am I to argue? Us awesome fighters are just gunna sit this one out, holler if ya need us!"

Etsu rolled her eyes, "You're just a wuss, Usopp."

Zoro elbowed Usopp hard in the ribs, knocking him over.

Usopp glared, "What did ya do that for, Zoro?"

"Just shut up already, you weirdo!" Zoro told him.

Etsu nodded, agreeing with Zoro and gave Usopp a light kick as he began to protest, "Shut it!"

Her head jerked as Krieg's loud laughter filled the room.

"Are those guys your crew? That's a pretty small group ya got there, kid," Krieg told Luffy.

"Well that's not all!" He pointed to Sanji, "I got two more!"

Etsu giggled at Sanji, who immediately yelled at Luffy, "I'm not a part of your crew!"

Sanji was ignored as Krieg's laughter faded and he glared at Luffy and Zeff, who was standing a few feet behind the Straw Hat Captain.

"I'll deal with you later," Krieg said, his weapons reverting back into his armor. Etsu didn't know whether he was talking to Zeff or Luffy, or both. "Right now, I'm going to go feed my men." He grabbed a giant sack filled with what Etsu presumed was food, and carried it over his shoulder. "Those of you who don't wish to die can leave the restaurant now and escape that fate."

Etsu face-palmed, "Does this guy ever shut up?"

Krieg apparently had not heard her but Zoro and Usopp did. Usopp quickly moved and placed a hand over her mouth, "Don't let him hear you say that!"

Etsu glared at Usopp and if looks could kill, he'd of died 5 times over.

"Grmph yourph haf off mph!" Etsu shouted, though Usopp's hand muffled her.

She sighed and did the first thing that came to mind, though she had no idea why it was the first idea. She licked his hand.

Usopp's hand quickly retreated, "Why the hell did you lick my hand?"

"I dunno, cause I felt like it," Etsu replied sarcatically, still glaring.

Usopp wiped his saliva covered palm against the pants of his overalls.

Krieg began to speak again looking at Zeff, "The only things I'm after is you're log book and this ship." He began heading towards the doors he came through, "However if you wish to stay and be slaughtered, I have no problem burying every one of you at sea. Know that." He walked out the doors and to his ship.

Etsu leaned over to Zoro and whispered, "Awh, he cares enough to bury us, and I thought he was heartless."

Zoro rolled his eyes and pushed Etsu away from him.

She cocked her head to the side as she heard Ghin began to speak from the floor, "I'm so sorry Sanji. I never thought it would be this way."

Zeff spoke, "You have nothing to apologize for, sailor. Every cook at this restaurant did what they thought was right. That's all there is to say about it."

"But boss! Why are you acting as if you're taking Sanji's side? This mess is his fault!" Patty protested.

Etsu tuned out what the cooks were saying and looked around at the damage done so far. Tables and chairs were turned over or smashed and the cooks were stained with blood.

She jumped slightly when Zeff's voice echoed loudly through the restaurant, "You fools don't know what you're talking about! None of you have any idea what it's like to be on the brink of starvation. To have no food or water on the open ocean. None of you could understand what a terrifying prospect that is."

Etsu looked down at Sanji, who was still on the floor as he lit a cigarette as Zeff spoke.

"It's the most difficult situation a man could ever face."

"I don't know what you're talking about, boss," Patty said.

Zeff sighed, "The difference between all of you and Sanji is that Sanji knows."

Etsu blinked, 'That's why he gave them food...'

She lifted her head and looked around at the cooks who all looked flabbergasted about something that Sanji knew that they didn't.

Zeff continuted to speak, "If all you're going to do is stand around grumbling, then leave this place and never come back." The cooks gasped and looked at Zeff as if he'd gone crazy before Patty began to speak.

"I for one am gunna stay and fight. I couldn't live with myself if I accepted defeat!" This caused the other cooks to think then decide that they were going to stay too.

Ghin began to look frantically at the cooks and slammed his hands on the floor, "What're you doing? You saw how powerful Don Krieg is right?"

Sanji stood up, "Hey, Ghin, listen up, I'm only going to say this once. Feeding someone who's hungry is my sacred world duty, but" He slammed his foot down on the leg of a fallen table causing it to flip over and land on its legs, "Now that you're crew is well fed, I have obligation to them. With a clean conscience I can beat every last one of them to a bloody pulp. Anyone that tries to take the restaurant are dead. I'll kill them without a moments hesitation. Got that?" Sanji stared Ghin straight in his eyes causing him to gulp.

"Heh, you're a real headcase, Sanji," Patty remarked. "Letting him live, then threatening to kill him."

Sanji lit another cigarette and gritted his teeth, "Can it, cook."

The trio on the stair case looked down to their captain as he spoke to them, "See? This guy's awesome, huh?"

Etsu nodded, "He may be a pervert, but I think he's got what it takes. He touches me though and he's dead."

"Who cares how awesome he is! We gotta get out of here right now!" Usopp yelled.

"Easy there, Luffy. It is Don Krieg, but he's in pretty sad shape," Zoro told their captain, talking about taking on Krieg.

Luffy looked over at Ghin, "Hey, Ghin. He didn't know anything about the Grand Line. I thought you've been there? That doesn't make any sense."

Etsu looked to Ghin, leaning over the railing, wanting to see what he said.

"Nothing makes any sense now," Ghin spoke lowly. "What happened to us on the seventh day of our journey on that cursed sea, I don't know if it was a dream or reality."

"Oooo, a story," Etsu smirked and listened for what else he had to say.

"I saw things that I can't bring myself to believe. I know that in my heart it's impossible but that entire fifty ship fleet was completely eradicated by a single man."

Etsu's breath hitched, "It couldn't be..."

Everyone else looked at Ghin shocked, "What?"

Etsu ignored them and continued listening in on what Ghin had to say.

"It all happened so fast...As soon as this man appeared, he unsystematically began to sink out ships one after another. If that raging storm hadn't come upon us when it did, that monster would've destroyed our flag ship as well."

Etsu backed away from the railing, her eyes widened, "No way could it be him. No freakin' way..."

Zoro looked at her, eyebrows furrowing as she talked to herself, "You okay?"

Etsu blinked and shook her head, "Just no way..."

"I don't know if a single other ship made it out. It all seems like a terrible nightmare burned into my memory. I just want to forget it," Ghin said, hand on his forehead, looking at the floor, shaking. "His eyes, they were like a hawks. Sharp and murderous. His gaze alone felt like the cold hands of death."

Etsu body froze and she would have fallen over the side of the staircase, had Zoro not caught her.

"It is...my brother told me exactly what he looked like in a letter. Explained it the same way...It's...it's..." Etsu said aloud, leaning against Zoro for support, forgetting that he was a man and that he had his arm around her so she wouldn't fall.

Then upon recalling what Ghin said, Zoro's eyes also widened and he let go of Etsu who grabbed on the rail and fell to her knees shaking lightly with shock. Zoro latched his hands on the railing also and looked at Ghin, mouth opened in shock. "What did he just say?"

"Well then," Zeff began to speak, arms crossed. "That can only be the known as Hawkeye."

Etsu gave a short and quiet cry of anger, and other unexpressed emotions began to come forth. She slowly pulled herself into a standing position, using the railing for support and stared intently at Zeff as he spoke.

"You're description of his heartless gaze isn't proof of his identity itself but the way he so easily decimated your fleet confirms without a doubt that it's him."

Both Etsu and Zoro stared shocked at Ghin and Zeff.

"Hawkeye Mihawk?" Zoro asked out loud as if he needing confirmation.

Etsu closed her eyes and gave another cry as emotions began to flood through her thoughts, 'If I meet that man, I have to know what happened. He could possibly know what happened to my brother...'

Luffy turned his head upwards, "So you guys know him?"

Etsu turned her head away, for if she dared to speak, she didn't know what would come out. Backing up and leaning against the column, she took a deep breath and began to clear through memories that had begun to surface.

Zoro straightened his face, putting on a neutral mask with his eyes closed, "Yea, I do. The man I've been looking for. Hawkeye's the whole reason I set out to sea."

Etsu opened her eyes and gazed at Zoro, wondering what business he could have the Shichibukai.

Zoro must've have felt her gaze for he opened his eyes and looked towards her, an eyebrow raised.

Etsu tensed, and looked away from him and toward Sanji, who begun to speak. She felt her face heat up. '...the hell? Something's wrong. Why is my face hot?'

Zoro blinked and noted Etsu's pink face but said nothing of it and also turned his attention to the Ero-cook.

"Could that man have some kind of score to settle with you guys?" Sanji asked.

"We didn't do anything to him!" Ghin protested.

"Perhaps you disturbed him during a nap," Zeff suggested.

"Stupid cook! Why would he destroy the entire fleet for something so trivial?" Ghin yelled at Zeff.

Etsu gave a small grin and muttered, "Well I for one wouldn't like to be woken up either during a nap."

Zoro thumped her head. She glared at him and kicked his shin. He narrowed his eyes.

Zeff smirked, "There's no reason to shout. It's just an example. I thought you might like a little friendly advice on what kind of place the Grand Line is."

"And what kind of place is that?" Usopp asked terrified.

Zoro turned his attention away from Etsu to Usopp, "He probably means that anything can happen there."

Etsu nodded, remembering the letters a long time ago from her brother before he died and what the Grand Line was like.

Usopp now had tears coming down is face and distressingly asked, "Hey, Luffy, do we really, really have to go there?" Luffy began shaking, though they couldn't see his face. "Luffy?"

"Yo, captain? You okay?" Etsu asked, peering over at Luffy.

Luffy suddenly sprang up and had a big grin covering his face, "Sugeee(a/n: had to do that, heheh)! That's so awesome! This is gunna be such a blast!"

"Do you understand the concept of danger?" Usopp chided Luffy.

Etsu rolled her eyes and tapped Usopp with her black boot, "Oh grow a pair, Usopp. What's life with out a bit of danger?"

Usopp glared at Etsu, "You're not helping. You're supposed to be terrified!"

Etsu blinked with fake innocence, "Helping with what?" She then narrowed her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Usopp covered his ears and chose to ignore her. Etsu's eye twitched and was ready to move away from the wall to deck him when Zoro began to speak.

"Finally, my life's goal will be achieved on the Grand Line."

Usopp frowned and tears again began to come down his face, "What?"

Zoro leaned against the column beside Etsu and smirked, "My rival is out there somewhere and I'm gunna find him."

Etsu poked his forehead, causing Zoro to both glare and raise an eyebrow, because he noticed that even though she didn't want to be touched by men, she was always latching onto him or poking him or something of the like. Unfazed, Etsu told him, "Oi, if ya decide to kill him, at least lemme ask him a few questions."

Zoro rolled his eyes at her and flicked her forehead again.

"Are you that stupid?" Sanji suddenly asked causing Zoro to glare him. "It's idiots like you guys that end up dead."

Etsu narrowed her eyes and mumbled, "I'm not an idiot."

"That maybe true, but lay off the name calling. I devoted my entire life to becoming the world's greatest swordsman. I made my choice so I'm the only one who gets to call me stupid," Zoro told Sanji sternly.

Etsu crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, "Marimo-kun is right. If I hadn't decided on becoming a Swordsmaster, I wouldn't be as strong as I am and a lot of people I know would be dead right now. So no one's going to call me an idiot except me."

Sanji stared up at the two with a blank face.

"Hey what about me?" Luffy yelled.

"Me too! I mean, it only seems fair!" Usopp also shouted.

Zoro prodded Usopp's head with his sheathed katana, "Shut up, stupid."

Sanji rolled his eyes at them and looked away, "What morons."

"Enough!" Patty shouted out of no where. "Do any of you maggots understand the current situation? That enormous galleon is moored in front of our dear little restaurant is none other than Don Krieg's flagship! So why don't we check back into reality and deal with this!"

A short silence followed, but during that silence a small chill of excitement and anxiety ran up Etsu's spine. She blinked and looked around but shook her head. 'Something or something is coming.'

Yells could suddenly be heard outside the restaurant but that's not what gave her the chill. The yells though were from Don Krieg's galleon.

The cook's began shouting about them coming and how those damn pirates weren't gunna take the restaurant.

Etsu watched the entrance, waiting for the pirates to come but another shiver of excitement ran through her as she heard the whistling song of a sword that only a trained ear of a swordsman could hear. Zoro seemed to have noticed it too, but made no move.

The yells stopped as soon as Etsu had heard the whistling of the blade. Her heart thumped inside her chest.

Loud splashing could be heard then and her eyes widened and she realized that Don Krieg's galleon had been cut into pieces.

She heard the distressed yells of Krieg's crew and her eyes widened more as she thought she heard someone yell Mihawk. Her thoughts yelled inside of her head, 'If he's here, I have to ask him! I don't care if he tries to slice me into sushi! I must know!'

The Baratie began to move along up and down with the waves. Etsu immediately lashed out and grabbed onto something to keep from falling. That something happened to be Zoro, who had grabbed onto the railing of the staircase.

She watched as Luffy began running to the doors.

She blinked in realization that their ship was out there along with Zoro'sold partners and their Navigator.

"Wait! Nami and the guys are still on our ship out there!" Zoro said. Both he and Etsu vaulted over the railing at the same time and sped out the doors. Usopp followed after them.

The three stopped beside Luffy and watched with shocked faces as Krieg's galleon began to sink into the ocean.

"Hey! Zoro-aniki! Etsu-aneki!"shouted two familiar voices.

Etsu turned her head just as Luffy sped off to the edge of the Baratie where Johnny and Yosaku were in the water trying to get onto the floated restaurant.

"Holy shit! What happened?" Etsu yelled coming up beside Luffy along with Zoro and Usopp.

"Are you okay?" Luffy asked.

"What happened to the ship? Where's Nami?" Zoro asked.

"I'm sorry, Aniki! I don't know how to say this but she's gone!" Johnny told them.

Etsu looked at them wanting to know what happened.

Johnny and Yosaku had tears streaming down their face, "Nami-aneki-"

"-she took all the treasure and sailed away," Yosaku interrupted him, sobbing.

The four Strawhats on the Baratie grew stress marks on their foreheads and yelled at the two in the water, "She did what?"

Another chill ran through Etsu, this time getting out a angry yell but she suddenly froze when she followed Zeff's terrified gaze out into the water.

A small boat with a small sail and two candles with green flames was floating beside the fallen galleon with a man sitting in it, legs and arms crossed.

"That man is," Zeff began. Zoro turned to Etsu to see what was wrong looked at what she was staring at. His eyes widened.

Zoro gripped onto the ledge of the restaurant, staring out at the man.

Etsu's heart raced inside her chest and she had to restrain herself from leaping over the edge and speeding her way over to the man to demand long awaited answers to the questions she's been wanting to ask all these years.

"That's him! He's here!" Zoro spoke, sweat dripping down his face.

"Hawkeye Mihawk!" Etsu and Zoro said at the same time.

Etsu narrowed her eyes at the Shichibukai as she looked around her to see how she should get to the man before he could even realize she's there. She wanted answers, and damn it she was going to get them!

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well here it is! [: Hope y'all like it! I can't wait for the next chapter, hehe. [: I'm ready for some interaction and fighting! :D**

**Anywho, my latest journal entry on my deviantart is called 'Ask Ochibi Questions' or somehthin' like that. Anywho, I would appreciate it if you'd all go check it out and read it and ask Etsu questions[: Link to my deviant art is on my profile. Also there's more art on there of previous chapters too! [:**

**Review please? **

**By the way, this is my longest chapter yet for this story [: Over 3,500 words!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Learning the Truth

_**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does. I only own Arai Etsu, Arai Hajime, their mother, Gigi, the island they live on[dream come true, right? XD], Fujisaki and anyone not in One Piece. [:**_

* * *

Etsu heard the others around her talk but the words sounded incoherent to her. She was solely focused on the small boat Mihawk was sitting in. Without thinking Etsu began to climb up onto the railing of the Baratie and just as she was about to leap out and cross the very wide space between her and the Shichibukai, Yosaku and Johnny grabbed her arms.

"Etsu-aneki! What are you doing?" Johnny yelled as they pulled but she wouldn't budge.

"Don't you dare go after him! You'll get killed!" Yosaku shouted.

The yelling brought Zoro out of his dazed rage and that's when he noticed Etsu about to jump out. He stared at her in disbelief and walked over to her. Johnny and Yosaku backed away from her as Zoro neared. Zoro grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him, eye to eye.

"What the hell are you thinking? You can't just go out-" Zoro started scolding her but was interrupted when she began to shout back.

"Don't you dare tell me what the hell to do! I can do as I damn well please!" With that said, she lashed out and hit Zoro in the face and with the Shichibukai's boat still in view, she jumped over the railing and sped across the water so quickly it appeared as if the water itself was solid.

Zoro staggered back from the force of Etsu's punch and held his face. He caught the last glimpse of Etsu as she jumped and landed in front of Mihawk on his boat before it disappeared between the halves of Krieg's galleon that had been sliced by Mihawk moments before.

* * *

The Shichibukai looked at Etsu with boredom, "Give me a reason I shouldn't kill you now for stepping onto my boat."

Etsu stayed silent for a few moments, gathering the words she was going to say to the man who could give her the answers she needed.

Mihawk began to reach for his neck that had the small cross dagger hanging from it when Etsu bowed quickly and respectfully.

"Mihawk-sama," she began, "I require knowledge about my brother."

Mihawk's eyes narrowed, "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you. Now-"

Etsu straightened and looked at Mihawk in the eyes, her purple eyes burning defiantly, "His name was...Arai Hajime."

Mihawk's eyebrows rose, "Ah, I see. Well, sit, and we'll see what I can do. I'm not going to give information away freely so we'll talk about a deal."

Etsu nodded and sat just as Mihawk's boat seemed to stop on it's own.

* * *

Zoro stared angrily at dust that floated around the slowly sinking galleon.

"Zoro-aniki, what are you going to do? Etsu-aneki will get herself killed!" Johnny and Yosaku cried.

"Damn it! Just shut the hell up!" Zoro hit them in the head. "What ever happens to her is her own fault, but right now Mihawk needs to get his ass over here so I can do what I set out to do!"

* * *

"Before I tell you anything, you have to give me something in return," Mihawk told Etsu. She watched his eyes move down to her sword.

"No!" She blurted out before she said anything. Mihawk rose an eyebrow. "I mean, no you can't have this sword. It's all I have left of...him."

Mihawk nodded and reached to his neck, where beside his cross also sat a small locket, "Then to repay me, you have to give me your word that-"

* * *

"Damn it! What's taking them so long?" Zoro muttered out in frustration, his hands white from gripping the railing so hard.

Luffy suddenly came over to where Zoro was, "Where's Etsu?"

Zoro deadpanned, "Were you not paying attention when she practically committed suicide?"

Luffy scratched the back of his head, "No not really...She what?"

Zoro gave out a deep sigh of agitation, "She went to Mihawk. I can already bet he's probably killed her."

Luffy froze, "If he did, then-"

* * *

Etsu nodded, stood up and bowed, "Thank you so very much, Mihawk-sama."

Mihawk nodded and stood up himself. He handed Etsu his dagger.

Etsu looked up at him before quickly taking the dagger and plunging it deeply into her shoulder. Mihawk took the dagger back from her and when Etsu turned around, he lifted his arm and struck his hand upon the back of Etsu's neck.

Etsu began to collapse and Mihawk quickly reached out and gently laid her out in the front of his seat on his boat. The last thing Etsu heard before she fell unconscious was a loud yell.

"-MIHAWK YOU BASTARD!"

Etsu smiled as the world went black.

* * *

"But why?" Mihawk asked, his sword in position to strike the last blow.

"Scars on the of a swordsman show shame," Zoro smirked, his arms held out.

The Shichibukai smirked viciously, "Fine." He brought his sword down against Zoro. Zoro's body flew up into the air and both him and his sword went flying into the sea.

Etsu was still unconscious and her body was laying behind Mihawk on the part of the galleon that he stood on.

"ZORO!" Luffy yelled out, full of rage.

"Aniki!" Yosaku and Johnny.

Sanji, who had been standing on the deck of the Baratie with the other chefs, shouted at Zoro, though Zoro most likely couldn't hear him, "Don't be stupid! Give up your ambition and live!"

Luffy shook with anger and brought his arm back ready to use his Devil Fruit power to kick the Shichibukai's ass, "Damn you! First it was Etsu, now Zoro!" He let his arm go and it stretched out, shooting at Mihawk, who sidestepped and dodged. He did the same thing when Luffy's body followed after his arm and landed head first and ended up stuck in the side of the galleon. When he pulled himself out, Mihawk spoke.

"Are you young warrior and young miss's comrade? I'm impressed with you for not interfering. There's nothing to be upset about. Both your friends will live."

From their boat, Johnny and Yosaku jumped overboard and swam towards Zoro to save him from drowning in the sea. They reached him and held him afloat. Zoro began to cough out blood from the extensive injuries he sustained from his fight with Mihawk.

"Aniki! Say something, please!"

Luffy stood up and looked out at them, "Zoro!"

Yosaku and Johnny brought Zoro over to the edge of their boat where Usopp helped lifted him over the edge.

Once they got him safely over, Usopp brought a basket of medicine over, "I've got some medicine! Here!"

Mihawk stared out at the boat, "It's still far too early for you to die. My name is Hawk Eye Mihawk!" He began to shout out to Zoro, who was barely conscious. "You're strong, but there is still much for you to learn. No matter how many years it takes, I will hold this title as the greatest in the world and wait for you. Until that day, you must hone your skills. Seek me out, Roronoa Zoro!"

The brothers hovered over Zoro, "Say anything! Please, Aniki!"

A loud moan could be heard from not too far beside Mihawk. Mihawk and Luffy turned to look over.

"Etsu!" Luffy quickly ran over to her and held her.

Mihawk's hard, cold eyes stared at her, "Arai Etsu, I have a deal with you and don't you forget it. And don't you forget your dear brother either. I plan to see you again also." Mihawk looked at Luffy, "You there, what is your goal?"

Luffy stared at him straight in the eye, "To be the king."

Mihawk smirked, "Your ambitions are even loftier than both of your friends. That's quite a task."

"Yea, well you just let me worry about that," Luffy stuck his tongue out childishly at Mihawk.

A sudden shout cause Luffy to look over at the boat where Zoro was, "He's alive! He was just unconscious!"

"Aniki, if you're alive then say something!" Johnny said, both him and Yosaku having tears fall from their faces.

They both gasped when Zoro lifted his sword.

"Luffy!" came Zoro's voice, "Can you hear me?"

Luffy stood up, Etsu in his arms, "Yea?"

Coughing, Zoro said, "I'm sorry for disappointing you. I know you need nothing less than the greatest swordsman in the world. I let you down. Please. Forgive me." Zoro coughed up more blood and the brothers tried get him to stop speaking, but he kept going, "I solemnly swear from this moment forward that I'll never lose again!" By now, Zoro had tears coming down his face. "Until the day comes, when I defeat him and take his title, I will never, never be defeated! Is that okay...KING OF THE PIRATES?" Everyone began to smile, even Mihawk and Etsu who had awoken but wasn't fully aware of everything, so she didn't move.

Luffy began to laugh, "Yep!"

Mihawk turned away from Luffy and began to walk away, "You all are a good team. I hope to see you again some day." Just before he made it to his boat, someone said his name.

"Hey. Hawk Eyes," Mihawk stopped. "I was under the impression you had come here to take my life. Weren't you here to kill me? Don Krieg, ruler of the East Blue?"

Mihawk didn't even turn around, "The though had crossed my mind, but I've had enough fun for today, so I'm going to get some rest."

Krieg cracked his neck and grinned cockily at Mihawk, "I don't care if you've had enough, I haven't even gotten started. Now it's time to die!" Krieg's armor turned to guns and he began to fire at Mihawk.

Mihawk readied his sword, "He just won't learn will he."

A big explosion happened and when smoke and dust cleared, Mihawk wasn't there.

"Damn it! He escaped," Krieg exclaimed.

Luffy, with Etsu still in his arms, stretched himself back to the deck of the Baratie. He then wrapped his arm around Etsu and dropped her off with the brothers, Usopp, and Zoro on the small boat, "Usopp! Go on ahead!" Luffy smiled, "I'll leave Nami to you guys."

Usopp stood up with Luffy's hat and shouted, "Roger that! Don't you worry about a thing! Zoro, Etsu, and I are gunna get her right back and make sure you get that cook to join our crew! And on the Going Merry, the six of us will set sail to the Grand Line!" He threw Luffy's hat into the air, which Luffy stretched out and grabbed.

"Aha! Yea, let's do it!" Luffy laughed, grinning.

* * *

Usopp and the others began to sail away on their small boat after Nami and the Going Merry.

Not even a few minutes later, Etsu began to sit up.

"Etsu-aneki, are you alright?" Johnny asked and immediately went to her side.

Etsu pushed him away and rubbed her eyes, "Yea, yea." She saw Zoro's open wounds and gasped, and despite her own would that she inflicted upon herself though the others though Mihawk did it, crawled over to him, "You morons! Do you not know how to stitch a freakin' wound!" She shook her head, "Forget, just hand me a needle and some thread."

"But aneki, you're bleeding..."

Etsu glared and they immediately handed her the items and she quickly and carefully began to sew Zoro's wounds then wrapped them in medical cloth. After that she grabbed a rag that was in the near by medical basket and soaked it some water and placed it on Zoro's warming head before she actually sat back and began to treat her own wound.

Usopp watched her before he came over and sat beside her, and though she resisted at first, she let him take the cotton ball she was cleaning her own wound with and letting him do it. As he did so, he noticed something shiny hanging from her neck that wasn't there before.

"Etsu, what's that?" He asked, as he began bandaging her shoulder.

"What's what?" She asked turning her head to look at him.

"That," he reached out and lifted up the gold chain locket hanging from her neck.

Etsu quickly grabbed it and tucked in under her shirt before looking away, "I can't tell you...at least...not right now."

Usopp nodded, though he looked at her suspiciously, and finished dressing her wound, "There ya go. All done."

Etsu looked at her shoulder and smiled, "Thank you...Oniisan."

"Did you just call me big brother?"

Etsu's face tinted pink in embarrassment, "Yea...I hope you don't mind. It's just my brother, before he left...he would always bandage me up when I hurt myself...so when you started fixing me up, you remind me of him..."

Usopp smiled, "I don't mind. So now I'm 'Captain Oniisan Usopp'!" He did a funny pose and Etsu giggled and hit him lightly.

"Don't get too full of yourself, Oniisan," she smiled before looking back at Zoro and began changing the dressings around his torso again as they became soaked in blood.

Zoro's unconscious form moved with light breathing, but she knew Mihawk had been telling the truth when he said he'll live.

When she finished, she looked over the sea and began to think to herself, 'I know who killed you now Haji-nii-san. I'll get revenge. I just can't believe it was..._**him**_.'

* * *

**Author's Note:**

** Finally an Update! Hope you guys are happy! **

** I know I skipped out on the fight scene between Zoro and Mihawk, but this fic is supposed to mainly focus on Etsu, so that's why. I liked this chapter (:**

** Anywho I'll do my best to update again and my other fics soon!**

** Love y'all!**

** ~Skitz.**


	9. Author's Note - 3-11-13

Author's Note as of 3/11/13

Hello!

I just want you all to know that at this very moment...okay not this very moment, but close enough...I am in the process of rewriting Smiles on Their Faces. I just finished with chapter one and am steadily moving along to the others. For some chapters it's a major rewrite. For others just some minor tweaking.

However, I won't be posting the rewritten chapters until I finish rewriting every chapter I have written and published so far AND finish with the next chapter.

It will be soon, though, I assure you! I thank you all for being patient. I'm so very, truly, deeply sorry for such a long wait. D:

Also! If you'd like to see Etsu's new look and outfit, I have completed a few drawings and have uploaded them onto my deviantArt! If you'd like to see the drawings, the link to the specific folder is here on my fanfiction profile. (:

Thank you and I love you all!

~Skitz


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